Anthony Quinn Cook

Case record: Anthony Quinn Cook

Timeline

• November 10, 1993 — The execution date was recorded as November 10, 1993.
• November 11, 1993 — Anthony Quinn Cook was executed by lethal injection in Texas.

Background

Anthony Quinn Cook was identified as inmate No. 918. He was executed on Nov. 11, 1993 for the 1988 murder of David Dirck VanTassel, Jr.

Cook underwent a religious conversion while on Death Row and decided he deserved to die. He wrote to District Attorney Hollis Lewis, stating that he could not persist in an appeal where they were alleging that a co-defendant actually pulled the trigger. Cook also wrote to authorities for two years about his religious conversion and wanted his punishment carried out. He sent a letter to VanTassel’s widow apologizing for the crime.

At the time of the abduction and murder, Cook and his accomplice, Robert Moore, were in Austin to take a review course for the bar exam.

Before the murder, Cook had been in and out of prison, serving time for aggravated assault, burglary and theft. He was paroled after just one year and then sent back six months later for violating parole, and he was back out again in another six months when he and Moore met again.

The record also stated that Cook was on parole just 13 days after serving a fraction of an eight-year-sentence for theft.

The offence

Anthony Quinn Cook and his accomplice, Robert Moore, abducted David Dirck VanTassel, Jr. while he was in his car parked outside his motel room.

Cook and Moore drove VanTassel to a roadside park near Cameron, about 50 miles northeast of Austin. At that park, they shot VanTassel four times in the head, robbed him, and stole his car.

A quote attributed to Moore described the murder as “totally random” and included details that “VanTassel was at his car and we were walking by when Cook pulled the pistol and told me to drive.” Moore also stated: “There was no plan to do anything like that. There was surely no plan to kill VanTassel. Cook decided to do that when we got to that rest stop or he may have been intended it all along, I really don’t know. I asked him why he did that and he told me he wanted to, like he wanted to see what it felt like or something!”

Cook was later arrested for trying to set up a drug lab. He was carrying VanTassel’s wallet.

A man who said they sold him VanTassel’s car identified Cook and Moore in a lineup.

Investigation and arrest

Cook was later arrested for trying to set up a drug lab while carrying VanTassel’s wallet.

Trial

Cook’s prosecution was described as being conducted in Milam County.

At first, Cook proclaimed his innocence in the crime, which was prosecuted in Milam County. Later, he decided he would not pursue appeals and waived all his appeals except the one required by state law.

Lawyers could do nothing after Cook decided not to persist with the appeal posture where they were alleging that a co-defendant actually pulled the trigger.

Sentencing

Cook was sentenced to lethal injection for the 1988 murder of David Dirck VanTassel, Jr.

The record stated that Cook spent five years on death row. It also stated that condemned inmates spend an average of 8.4 years on death row before execution.

Appeals

Cook chose not to appeal his death sentence.

Cook wrote to District Attorney Hollis Lewis, and the letter stated that he could not persist in an appeal where they were alleging that a co-defendant actually pulled the trigger. Cook wrote: “I am the one who did it. I can no longer lie about it.”

Outcome

Anthony Quinn Cook was executed on Nov. 11, 1993.

Cook’s execution was described as proceeding quickly at the stroke of midnight and as taking about 15 minutes start to finish.

Aftermath

The record stated that the execution involved lethal-injection drugs including pancuronium bromide, potassium chloride, and sodium thiopental.

Witnesses were ushered into an adjoining room with drab brown carpet and white curtains around the walls, and a glass partition and bars separated the witnesses from inmate No. 918.

The record included the final words spoken by Cook when Warden Jones asked Inmate No. 918 if he had any final words:

“Yessir”
“I just want to tell my family I love them and I want to thank the Lord and savior Jesus Christ for giving me another chance and for saving me. That's it.”

The record also stated that “At 12:08 a.m., a mixture of pancuronium bromide, which relaxes the muscles, potassium chloride, which stops the heart, and sodium thiopental, which induces unconsciousness, began flowing into Inmate No. 918's veins.”

Witnesses watched the body, and after a doctor examined the body and the warden repeated the time, the record stated “12:15.”

The record stated that 360 inmates remained on Texas’ death row and that more than 600 capital murder cases were pending on the dockets of the state's six largest counties.

Other details

Cook’s number was repeatedly referenced as inmate No. 918.

The record described an execution-day sequence including:

• Cook being moved to the holding cell next to the death chamber at 4:30 p.m. after being picked up at 4 p.m.
• A guard’s log noting: “Mood appears to be calm.”
• Cook writing a letter at 1:15 a.m.
• Cook being sipped coffee and chatting with a guard named O'Ginn.
• An early breakfast at 3 a.m. described as “pancakes, syrup, oatmeal, gravy, butter, sugar, milk and coffee” and coffee.
• A request for a last meal described as “a double-meat bacon cheeseburger and a strawberry shake,” delivered between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday, after which Cook showered and donned state-issued pants, a shirt, and his personal tennis shoes.
• Prison spokesman Charles Brown receiving an update from prison officials, with Brown saying: “They said he's just ready to go,” and “They said he's just real calm.”
• A guard describing the timing: “We're ready warden,” said to Warden Morris Jones.
• Cook being described as having turned his soul over to Jesus Christ before forfeiting his life to the State of Texas.

The record also included statements by Charles Lance:

• “It’s very frustrating,” and
• “The system is not doing its job.”

A quote attributed to Moore stated:

• “I come up for parole again for the 4 th time in June of 2000, but there is no set date for me to be released and its not likely I ever will,” which was presented as Moore’s statement.

The record stated that Moore testified against Cook and received a 50-year prison term.